NDP make nomination official; as North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice acclaimed for 2017 election race

There has been little in the way of a rumble that any challenge was in motion, and with no one throwing a hat in the political ring, the North Coast constituency gave their official nod once again to incumbent MLA Jennifer Rice.

Monday, local NDP officials proclaimed by acclamation that Ms. Rice will once again take the NDP's message to the voters when election day rolls around.

First elected to office in the May 2013 provincial election, Ms. Rice had entered the provincial political mix after serving two years of the then three year term as a councillor at Prince Rupert City Hall.

She officially stepped aside from municipal politics in June of that year, having won the North Coast riding in the May election with close to 57 percent of the vote.

Since arriving in Victoria, the now incumbent MLA has been tasked with watching over northern rural health issues and a Deputy spokesperson for Children and Family development as part of the NDP shadow cabinet makeup.

Last week, NDP Leader John Horgan added to her duties, assigning her to the position of critic for northern and rural economic issues.

With her nomination confirmed with Monday night's gathering of the local NDP, the leader saluted her efforts through an information release issued on Tuesday afternoon.

“Jennifer Rice has been an outstanding advocate for people all across the province and has worked tirelessly for her community,”  ... “She has what it takes to help defeat Christy Clark and build a better BC.”

What appears to be the main theme for her campaign to retain her seat was also promoted through the NDP message, with the MLA targeting the way that Premier Christy Clark has governed the province and the impact of her policies on the North coast.

The campaign is officially on
as NDP MLA Jennifer
Rice started knocking on 
doors over the weekend
(From MLA Rice's Facebook page)

“Christy Clark isn’t working for you,” ... “I’ve seen how the decisions of the Christy Clark government are making it harder and harder for people who live on the North Coast.” 

 “Christy Clark’s government gives millionaires tax breaks but she takes more money from you. Increasing costs of MSP, ICBC and Hydro are making it harder for families to get by," she said. “People are worried they won’t have the same opportunities here that their parents had.”

Other areas that the NDP seem destined to use as part of their points for the upcoming campaign include transportation concerns, including the development of the Highway of Tears shuttle bus system as well as ongoing concerns over the level of service from BC Ferries on the North Coast and Haida Gwaii.

Health and education also are themes that seem to be forming up the foundation for the NDP approach to the campaign ahead.

Even before the NDP riding association made it official, Ms. Rice had been out doing some door knocking around Prince Rupert posting some photos to her Facebook page over the weekend.

More on her work at the BC Legislature can be examined here.

You can review the latest notes from the 2017 Provincial election campaign from our North Coast Votes archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review